


Strong Leader Type Having to Physically Fall Down In Order For People To See They're Exhausted

by imagineteamfreewill



Series: 25 Days of Tropes [5]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, Michael Possessing Dean Winchester, Reader takes care of Sam Winchester, Sam doesn't take care of himself, Takes place after apocalypse world hunters are at the bunker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:31:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22153621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imagineteamfreewill/pseuds/imagineteamfreewill
Summary: Based on the prompt "strong leader type having to physically fall down in order for people to see they're exhausted". Takes place in season 14, after Michael has Dean and the apocalypse world hunters take up residence at the bunker.
Relationships: Sam Winchester & You, Sam Winchester/Reader, Sam Winchester/You, reader x sam - Relationship
Series: 25 Days of Tropes [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1594564
Kudos: 22





	Strong Leader Type Having to Physically Fall Down In Order For People To See They're Exhausted

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was originally posted on my tumblr of the same name on December 30th, 2019. This has nothing to do with the holidays, but it's still a good fic!

Sam had taken charge after rescuing everyone from the “apocalypse world”, as he and Castiel referred to it. You probably would too, if it hadn’t been your home for so long. Sam’s world was identical to your old one but it was also so, so foreign. So, you’d been relying on him to help you adjust, just as the rest of your group had been.

His brother had been taken by Michael shortly after your arrival and he’d thrown himself into that, too. Everyone had been more than eager to help. After all, he’d saved you from certain doom and led you to a place that was practically paradise, and more than that, he’d welcomed you into his home.

“It’s okay,” Sam had said, and you remembered the tight, pained smile he’d given you. “Cas and I have it covered. We could use your help with some other stuff, though, if you want something to do.”

You’d all gladly accepted his offer, and soon Sam had the lot of you going on hunts all over the country. Strangely enough, your hunts were the most local. Sam never assigned you anyplace over a day’s drive away, and you often found yourself spending time with him in between cases. Not that you were complaining—he was a great guy. You did, however, notice that Sam had a bad habit of taking on more than he could handle, both literally and figuratively. More than once you’d had to help him carry lore books from a faraway storage room to the library, and you were sure that he wasn’t sleeping as much as he was supposed to.

One night, after returning from a hunt of your own, you found him passed out at the map table in the War Room. His tablet and phone were strewn out beside the remnants of his dinner, and you knew he’d fallen asleep while doing his nightly check-ins.

You sighed and dropped your duffel at the foot of the stairs. “Sam,” you called. He didn’t stir and you crossed the room, gently shaking him by the shoulder. “Sam, wake up.”

That seemed to do the trick. Sam practically jumped out of his skin and you stepped back, holding your hands up to show you meant no harm as he frantically looked around the room.

“Hey, whoa,” you said, keeping your voice as soothing as possible. “It’s just me, Sam. It’s just me.”

Sam calmed down after a second, his shoulders slumping as he came back to reality. He pushed the hair out of his eyes and stood as he looked you over to make sure you weren’t injured.

“Back so soon?” he asked, and you nodded, your cheeks growing warm under his gaze.

“It was just a salt and burn, Sam. How long did you think it would take?”

He shrugged and gathered up the trash from his take-out. “I figured you’d stop for the night instead of driving straight back. I wasn’t expecting anyone to be back till tomorrow morning.”

“Is that why you let yourself fall asleep at the table?” you asked.

Sam gave you a strange look and headed towards the kitchen, gesturing for you to follow.

“Sam,” you sighed, following after him. “I’m not blind. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that you’re burning the candle at both ends. You’re gonna crash, and it’s gonna be soon if you don’t start to take care of yourself.”

“I’m fine, Y/N.”

“I used to be a nurse, you know. I know exhaustion when I see it,” you told him.

Sighing, Sam dumped the styrofoam containers into the trash before turning and facing you, bracing himself against the metal island. “I’m fine, Y/N, I promise. I just wish we were having better luck at finding Dean.”

You watched him for a second, then nodded. “Alright, I’ll believe you, but only this once. Promise me you’ll get some sleep?”

“I promise,” Sam said, giving you a small smile. “You should get some rest, too. You earned it. Thanks for taking that case, I know it was last minute.”

“Anytime, Sam.”

After giving him one last look, you went back and grabbed your bag, then headed to your room. You heard Sam pass by your door just as soon as it was closed. Satisfied that he was probably heading to his own room for the night, you went to bed, allowing the exhaustion from digging the grave to help you fall asleep.

Sam was better about sleeping and taking care of himself after that. It seemed like you were always catching him eating at normal times of the day, and every night you heard him head to his room shortly after you went to yours. He was still searching for Dean as fervently as ever, and he still sent you and the others out on hunts, but you had the feeling that he was functioning better than before, at least to some degree.

“How’s everyone doing?”

You smiled when Sam caught your eye and you leaned back against the bottom post of the War Room staircase. He’d gathered you all together to debrief, just as he always did at the end of everything month.

“We haven’t heard anything that sounds like archangel activity, but we’ve seen lots of demonic activity out east,” one of the older women said.

Sam nodded, making a note on his tablet before looking up at one of the men who’d chimed in. You watched in silence, listening and thinking about whether or not you had anything worth mentioning. Just when you’d thought of something, however, you heard a heavy thud from Sam’s direction. Panic filled you when you realized Sam had collapsed, and you quickly pushed through the crowd of hunters that was starting to close in around him.

“I’m a nurse, I’m a nurse,” you said as you shoved people away to get to Sam’s side. A few of them grumbled, but they let you through without much issue.

Sam was unconscious, but fine. He was definitely down for the count and you quickly instructed a few of the closer, stronger hunters to help you carry Sam to his room. Within minutes, you were adjusting the pillows and helping them lay him down on his bed. His blankets were crumpled up in a pile on the floor and you wrinkled your nose at the stale smell coming from them when you shook them out and draped them over his still form. Clearly, he hadn’t used them recently.

“I think he’s fine,” you told the men who were lingering by the doorway. “I’ll stay with him, but I’m pretty sure this is just exhaustion. He doesn’t seem to have a fever, and he hasn’t gone out recently so it can’t be any kind of hex.”

They nodded and left you with Sam, shutting the door behind them. Sighing, you pulled over Sam’s desk chair, placing it beside his bed and sitting down. Sam’s breathing was even and you relaxed slightly against the back of the chair.

“Oh, Sam,” you sighed. “I must have been blind to have missed this. We all have.”

Several hours passed and Sam still remained unconscious. Several other hunters came to check on him, letting you know that Cas would be back soon, but you shooed them away when they offered to take your spot at Sam’s side. 

“It’s okay,” you told them with a tired smile. “I want to be here in case he gets sick or something from hitting his head.”

And that was the truth, but it wasn’t the whole truth. You’d grown attached to Sam ever since he’d rescued you from your old world and you had suspicions that he’d grown fond of you too. Or at least, you hoped he had. The subject had never come up, and you weren’t about to breach it yourself. You didn’t want to lose what you had in hopes of something better, only to ruin it.

You were just starting to nod off when Sam began to stir, and you quickly pushed yourself up in the chair.

“What?” Sam mumbled. The word slurred from his mouth as he slowly blinked his eyes open and looking around the room. His movements were drowsy as he adjusted to consciousness again, and finally, his eyes landed on you.

“Hey, how you feelin’?” you asked, offering him a small smile.

Sam moved to sit up and you reached out, helping him up against the headboard. He rubbed the back of his head and winced. “What happened?” he asked.

“You passed out,” you answered. Watching him carefully, you grabbed the water bottle Maggie had brought in the last time she’d checked on him. You unscrewed the cap and held it out for him, then sat as he easily drank half of it in three large swallows. Dehydration was definitely something you had to be watching for now, it seemed.

“Passed out?”

“You haven’t been sleeping very much, have you?”

Sam avoided your eyes and you sighed, reaching for his hand. He blinked in surprise when you clasped your hands around his and gave him a tired smile. “Sam, we’re worried about you. You’re clearly not doing well or you wouldn’t have passed out today. What’s going on? I thought you were doing fine, it looked like everything was going well, eating and sleeping-wise.”

He didn’t respond and you sighed again, letting go of his hand after a second. Without another word, you got up from the chair and pushed it back to Sam’s desk. You could feel his eyes on you as you stooped down to pick up your sweatshirt where you’d thrown it. Frustration bubbled inside of you as you thought of how Sam had dutifully gone to his room every night after you’d scolded him for not taking care of himself. How stupid could you have been to fall for that? You’d never once checked to see if he was actually sleeping!

“Y/N…”

“What, Sam?” you asked, looking over at him as you slipped the garment back on. “If you’re gonna tell me you’re fine, I don’t really want to hear it. I’m tired and considering that you’re awake and talking, I don’t need to watch you any longer.”

“You’re right,” Sam said. He sounded exhausted and you watched in surprised silence as he slowly got up from his bed. “I should’ve actually slept and had real meals instead of just eating whatever was available when I got hungry enough. I’m sorry.”

After a second, you nodded and murmured, “You don’t need to apologize. Just… promise me that you’ll take care of yourself from now on. We need you, Sam. Dean needs you and I… I need you too.”

Sam looked surprised. “What?”

You shook your head and gave him a quick smile, suddenly embarrassed at your admission. “Goodnight, Sam.”

“Wait.” He grabbed your wrist before you could move away, his entire hand wrapping around the limb as he stepped closer. “You need me?”

Tentatively, you nodded. “You saved me, Sam, and you’re one of the few people here I enjoy spending time with. Of course I need you.”

Sam smiled a little and dropped your wrist. “I need you too, Y/N. Thanks for looking out for me. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Goodnight, Sam. I’ll see you in the morning?”

After a second, Sam nodded and sat back down on the edge of his bed. “Goodnight, Y/N. I promise to actually sleep tonight, too.”

You laughed at that, opening his bedroom door and stepping out in the hallway. “Don’t make me come check on you. I used to do that at hospitals, you know. Check on the patients at night?”

Sam grinned from ear to ear, his eyes sparkling with a mischief you had never seen in him before. “Is that a promise?”

“Sam!” you scolded, and his laugh followed you out the door and down the hall.


End file.
